Stan Lee: The Final Chapter, a documentary directed by Jon Bolerjack, is approaching its release with the commitment to honour the legacy of the renowned comic creator and Marvel visionary, Stan Lee. However, are you aware of the individual who inspired Peter Parker's first love?

Joan Boocock Lee was not merely the spouse of Stan Lee, the iconic co-creator of Spider-Man, Iron Man, Daredevil, and numerous other Marvel characters; she was also his muse, his staunchest advocate, and the love of his life.

How Joan Boocock and Stan Lee met?

In 1947, well before Marvel emerged as a dominant force in popular culture, a young Stan Lee was introduced to a striking redhead by his cousin. This woman was Joan Clayton Boocock, a hat model hailing from England. Upon seeing her for the first time, Stan exclaimed, “I love you!” However, there was a complication: Joan was already married.

“I had only known him for 24 hours when we decided to marry,” Joan recounted to People Magazine. “In many ways, it was a wonderful marriage, but after a year of living together, I found him somewhat dull…”

“He wore a fantastic floppy hat and scarf and recited Omar Khayyam while taking me out for hamburgers at Prexy’s,” she reminisced. “He reminded me of the handsome actor, Leslie Howard.”

Just two weeks after their initial encounter, Stan proposed. Yet, before they could tie the knot, Joan needed to finalize her divorce. She travelled to Reno for a swift dissolution of her first marriage, where she attracted the attention of a wealthy cowboy. Concerned about losing her, Stan hurried to Reno to reclaim her. His efforts were successful. The same judge who granted Joan her divorce also officiated their wedding in 1947, and they enjoyed 69 years of marriage.

Their love endured until Joan died in 2017 at the age of 95.

The couple made their home in Long Island, where they raised their daughter, Joanie, while Stan dedicated himself to Marvel, co-creating iconic characters such as Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and the Hulk.

“My wife and I share a very close bond,” Stan shared with People Magazine in a 2011 interview. “Yet, I’m not certain she has ever read any of my stories. Comics are not her interest.”

“She enjoys organizing the house. She could spend all her time rearranging the furniture,” Stan humorously noted.

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